Pakistan on Tuesday lodged a protest with India over ‘unprovoked’ ceasefire violations across the Line of Control.

Foreign Officer Director General (SA & SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh and strongly condemned Indian ceasefire violations on Monday in the Nakyal and Jandrot sectors, resulting in the deaths of three civilians, including a woman, and injuries to four others, including a five-year-old boy.

FO Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said the director general urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement, investigate continued incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, and stop targeting villages civilians along the LoC.

Sources told DawnNews that the issue of Indian ‘diplomats’ allegedly working against the national security of Pakistan also came under discussion.

Three of eight Indian ‘diplomats’ believed to be ‘undercover agents’ allegedly working for Indian spy agency Research and Analysis wing left Pakistan today.

Cross-border firing a new normal

Cross-border firing appears to have become a routine as tensions simmer between Pakistan and India following an alleged ‘surgical strike’, unrest in Kashmir and the Uri army base attack.

The Indian deputy high commissioner has been summoned to the Foreign Office several times in protest against ‘unprovoked’ Indian fire and loss of lives due to incidents of cross-border firing.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped up a drive to isolate Pakistan diplomatically after the Uri army base attack last month. Hours after the attack occurred, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed Pakistan a ‘terrorist state’ and accused Pakistan of involvement.

The Uri attack occurred days before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was set to address the United Nations General Assembly regarding Indian human rights violations in held Kashmir.

Following the attack, India claimed it had conducted a cross-border ‘surgical strike’ against ‘launch pads of terror’ in Azad Jammu and Kashmir — a claim Pakistan has strongly rejected.

Pakistan maintains that India is attempting to divert the world’s attention away from atrocities committed by government forces in India-held Kashmir.

Pakistan and India have, most recently, locked horns over Kashmir since Indian forces stepped up a crackdown against protesters after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by government forces in July.